A standard recliner has a generally fixed and normally horizontal main body on which a head and/or foot part is movable between a horizontal position level with the main body and a raised and/or lowered position extending at an angle thereto. The movable part is typically hinged and/or slidable on the frame of the piece of furniture and is typically raised and/or lowered by an operating bar extending along a pivot axis fixed in the frame and having arms engaging the movable part and at least one crank arm engaged by an actuator normally housed in the main part. Thus the actuator can pivot the operating bar about its axis to raise and/or lower the movable part, to which end the actuator is typically a motor having a threaded output spindle carrying a nut fixed to the crank arm of the operating element.
Such a structure is relatively effective but difficult to manufacture and, due to its multipart welded construction, almost impossible to apply a neat coat of paint to. What is more the operating bar must normally be custom built for each application, further increasing its unit cost.